Published on 6/20/2026
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Last update: 21:55 (Mecca time)
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to what Tehran described as American and Zionist violations of the memorandum of understanding on ending the war. The Iranian Foreign Ministry also called on Washington to expedite the implementation of the terms of the memorandum, “otherwise it will face problems.”
The Iranian military headquarters, Khatam al-Anbia, said in a statement published this afternoon, Saturday: “In view of America’s breach of the covenant and its clear violation of its commitment not to implement the first clause of the memorandum of understanding to end the war, and in response to the ongoing and continuous violation of the ceasefire by the Zionist regime in southern Lebanon, and the brutal killing and displacement of hundreds of thousands of this oppressed people, and also in view of the failure of the Zionist occupation forces to withdraw from the lands of southern Lebanon, the headquarters announces that the Strait of Hormuz “It will be closed to ship traffic.”
He explained that “this step is the first stage of response to the enemy’s violation of its pledges, and that if the aggression continues, subsequent steps have been planned and will be implemented to compel the enemy to fulfill his pledges.”
Minutes after this statement, the Revolutionary Guard Navy confirmed in another statement that the strait had become completely closed, and that “ships should not approach the strait; otherwise their security would be at risk.”
The statement stated, “In view of the crimes of the Zionist regime in Lebanon, and the United States’ violation of its obligations to establish a ceasefire, the Strait of Hormuz is closed to all ships.”
In the same context, the official of political affairs in the Revolutionary Guard Navy said, “The real guarantee in any agreement is our strength.” He continued: “We are negotiating in order to fulfill our rights, not in order to make concessions.”
American forces are watching
On the other hand, the spokesman for the US Army Central Command told Al Jazeera that Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz and that shipping traffic continues to flow.
The spokesman added that US forces are “monitoring the situation to ensure the continuation of navigation through the strait.”
Closing the sea straits, including the Strait of Hormuz, takes several forms, including planting contact, magnetic, or acoustic sea mines in the strait, or through the deployment of naval fleets, submarines, coastal artillery, and missile platforms on both banks of the strait. Mobile and anti-ship ballistic missiles are also used for this purpose, in addition to offensive and unmanned bomb boats.
View from Bandar Abbas
From the city of Bandar Abbas overlooking the strait, Al Jazeera correspondent Omar Hawash said that the Iranian announcement came suddenly, only hours after a field tour in the strait during which ship movement was proceeding relatively normally, noting that the situation changed immediately after the headquarters of Khatam al-Anbiya announced the closure of the strait.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent transmitted scenes of ships parked deep in the strait, explaining that one of the sailors he spoke to during the tour confirmed that the number of parked ships was greater before the opening of the strait, before movement gradually returned, but the new closure returned the scene to point zero.
He pointed out that the past few days witnessed a relatively smooth transit of a number of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, especially since the signing of the memorandum of understanding at dawn last Thursday, when the number of waiting ships decreased, but the new closure decision restored the state of halt, with expectations of an increase in the number of accumulated ships during the coming hours.
“Commitment versus commitment”
For its part, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that America must accelerate the implementation of the terms of the memorandum of understanding, otherwise it will face problems.
The ministry added, in a statement, that the first item (which is a ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon) is the most important in the memorandum of understanding, and that the opposing party “violated its commitment to force the Zionist entity to stop its attacks on Lebanon.”
She stated that “the failure of the Zionist entity’s attacks on Lebanon to stop is a clear violation of the ceasefire,” noting that she did not sign an understanding that will not be implemented, and declaring that her approach is “commitment for commitment.”
The Ministry considered that the provisions of the memorandum of understanding are an integrated group, and if some of them are not implemented, it will face problems, pointing out that the naval blockade was stopped and the Strait of Hormuz was opened – at the time – in accordance with the memorandum of understanding.
These developments come shortly after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced a route from the south of Lark Island for ships to enter and exit the Strait of Hormuz, and that ships intending to cross the Strait of Hormuz must coordinate with it in this regard, according to what Iranian television reported on Saturday.
According to television, the Revolutionary Guard warned ships that do not adhere to the maritime route specified by Iran that they will bear responsibility for any accident that occurs, such as a possible collision with sea mines, the occurrence of maritime accidents, or being targeted.
On Sunday, the United States, Iran, and Pakistani mediation announced that Washington and Tehran had reached an agreement on a memorandum of understanding to end the war that Washington and Tel Aviv started against Tehran on February 28.
Following the signing of the memorandum of understanding last Thursday between the two countries, a state of optimism prevailed, and tankers carrying about 10 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Bloomberg Network.
However, about 40 oil tankers carrying approximately 80 million barrels of crude oil are still waiting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, according to what the American network reported, if it is confirmed that the crossing process will be safe.
